We have another battle report today that continues the narrative from the battle reports posted recently here on the blog. The first of them featuring Black Templars Vs Blood Angels started this narrative being a “prequel” of sorts and the second one featuring the Black Templars Vs Imperial Guard continued that story.

This time around I played against Valter’s Black Templars using a unit from my Salamanders army and the Legion of the Damned a friend painted for me a while ago. We didn’t play an specific game mission, the idea being just having a bit of fun seeing toy soldiers killing each other and rolling some dice. Objectives were pretty straightforward, the Templars had to kill the Salamanders and the Salamanders only had to be alive at the end of the game.

So without further ado here it is.

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The “Purging Fire” – Salamanders 4th Expeditionary fleet.

High Orbit above the Planet Shanti – Tamit-Zaa System

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“That’s heresy” Exclaimed one of the senior commanders of the Imperial Guard who was present at the war room “One cannot simply throw such grave accusations about a noble Space Marine chapter and expect us to believe him sergeant Eki’Mo” disbelief was plain on the Guard commander’s face “especially one so esteemed like the Black Templars”.

“I have the scars to prove my tale general Malori, and five of my battle brothers who will tell you the same story” replied the stoic sergeant of the Salamander Chapter.

Sitting on the chair at the head of the table Vulkan He’stan had listened silently while the assembled throng of Imperial Guard officers, or Astra Militarum commanders as they insisted on being called now, and inquisition acolytes debriefed one of his sergeants. Hours had gone by and Eki’Mo had told the same tale over and over again.

He finally rose from his chair placing both hands on the marbled table covered in war maps and holographic projections of the forces in the system while addressing those in the room “I’ll have a word in private with sergeant Eki’Mo if you will esteemed lords”, the assembled lords, acolytes and officers eyed each other, but it was general Malori that expressed their displeasure “we have a right to be here, and it is our duty to hear this fantastic tale of treason and phantoms my lord Space Marine”.

Vulkan He’Stan never changed his tone to reply“Men, remove the general and his entourage from the war room and see to it that they’re safely escorted to their shuttles. Gun them down where they stand if they refuse to obey my command” the honour guard moved in unison to seize the general. Deciding they had business to attend elsewhere the small crowd left the room, the last to leave being general Maloric, who stomped his feet on his way out obviously fuming.

Turning his attention to the Space Marine sergeant still sitting Vulkan He’Stan asked in more friendly tones “would you share the story with me once more brother? Tell me of the phantoms, tell me of the Legion of the Damned”.

And so, sergeant Eki’Mo began to tell his tale once more.

According to the sergeant, the Black Templars had arrived in the early hours of morning, demanding to be taken to the commander leading the Salamander’s detachment at once. Eki’Mo had been returning from scout duties with his squad when all hell broke loose in the forward base, the Black Templars opening up with their guns on their own brothers from the Salamander chapter.

They had been advancing towards the command bunker when the sole survivor from captain’s Dekron’s command squad, the standard bearer Acion, commanded them to retreat to the fortified position in the ruins of the old cathedral. The forward base was lost, their brothers butchered by a madman disguised as a friend, “The Butcher of Thraxx” as the Black Templar’s Marshall had become known after the battle on the ruins of that city, it was their duty to escape, to let the Imperium know what had transpired there.

They fought their way out of the forward base, retreating to the fortified position in the nearby ruins and took their positions to wait the Templar’s advance, determined to hold until the Storm Ravens sent to evacuate them arrived. That’s when the Legion of the Damned came to their rescue.

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An overview of the battlefield.

This is the ground the Black Templars would have to cover to get to grips with their foe.

Sergeant Eki’Mo bellowing orders to his men.

At the same time Acion took command of the Space Marines holding the ruins of a bunker.

The Salamanders wait for their foes.

The poorly held fortified position just before battle was joined.

As a response to their prayers the spectral warriors of the Legion of the Damned materialize on the battlefield.

A Land Raider Redeemer appeared out of thin air holding the Salamander’s right flank.

Legionnaires appeared all around the makeshift fortifications.

A Razorback guarded the unprotected entrance.

Legionnaires manning the ramparts.

Another Legion’s Land Raider guarding the left flank.

The Legion appeared even inside the bunker…

… and alongside the Salamanders on the walls.

A Dreadnought guarded the sacred cathedral ruins.

The defenders stand ready to face the Black Templars.

The Black Templars’ vehicles rumble onto the battlefield after laying waste to the Salamander’s forward base…

… two of them Land Raiders, a Crusader and a Redeemer variant carrying their deadly payload of ammo and Space Marines.

Two Predators armed with Lascannons anchor the centre of the Templars’ advance.

The crusader advances.

And so does the Redeemer.

The tanks from attackers and defenders started exchanging rounds straight away.

Seeing their target held a fortified position and had received reinforcements the Black Templar’s requested assistance from their brethen in orbit, being promptly reinforced by troops arriving via Drop Pods…

… a full squad of Black Templar Initiates strikes right into the midst of the defenders.

At the same time the Black Templars’ Land Raider Redeemer advances at full throttle towards the defenders.

The Crusader mirrowed the Redeemers movement, taking advantage of the confusion caused in enemy lines by the screeching arrival of the Drop Pod.

The Land Raiders gave up their shots to continue advancing.

And the Predators opened fire against the Legion’s Land Raider seen in the distance.

The initiates wasted no time and poured fire into the Legionnaires…

… killing a few of them with promethium fire and bolter rounds.

The Legionnaires reacted quickly though, a Command Squad disembarking from the Razorback.

Meanwhile the rest of the Legion positioned themselves to dispense the good and old Emperor’s justice to the Templars.

All weapons were turned towards the Black Templars.

And in a hail of fire the Legion of the Damned exacted their revenge on man…

… and machine alike. Smoldering debris and mangled corpses were all that was left of the Black Templar’s attempt to dislodge the defenders.

The Black Templars made good use of the diversion their brothers had bought at the cost of their lives, and after advancing furiously…

… the Redeemer disembarked the cargo it transported.

The Black Templars were being led by none other than High Marshall Hellbrecht.

Elsewhere the Crusader starts firing against the Salamanders and Legionnaires on the ramparts.

While a Rhino advances towards the defenders under the bigger tank’s shadow.

The Predators continue to rain Lascannon fire on the Legion’s Land Raider…

… which coupled with precise fire from the Redeemer…

… cracked open the tank’s armour…

… killing one of the Terminators aboard it and leaving the rest of them in place for a devastating charge to follow.

The Terminators are left in the open after their transport was blown.

The Dreadnought finds itself the target of the Crusader’s fire…

… the hail of fire peppering harmlessly from its armour.

The Dreadnought still standing.

The Black Templars wasted no time and charged the stranded Terminators of the Legion of the Damned.

The overcharche fire proved innefectual.

Close quarters combat ensues.

The Emperor’s Champion challenges the Legionnaire Sergeant…

… that againt the odds, manages to survive the Champion’s attacks, the trusted Terminator Armour deflecting the ill-fated blow.

While the sergeant squared off against the Emperor’s Champion, his squad mates had to face Hellbrecht and his accompanying Terminators.

The Terminator sergeant of the Legion was the sole survivor of the combat.

As battle raged on the Legion of the Damned’s Redeemer started peppering the advancing Land Raider Crusader with Assault Cannon shots and heated blasts from the Multi Melta.

While the Dreadnought left the ruin behind in an attempt to get to grips with the Land Raider Crusader.

The Legionnaires in the bunker couldn’t sit idly while their brothers were unmercifully cut down, so they left the safety of the ruins…

… their intent clear to everyone.

The Legionnaires charged into combat…

… this time the Emperor’s Champion was able to kill the Terminator sergeant in a duel…

… while Hellbrecht’s challenge was answered by another Legionnaire sergeant.

Hellbrecht made quick work of the Legionnaire…

… while his terminators were brought dowm by the rest of the Legion’s Tactical Squad.

The end of that turn of combat saw what was left of the Legionnaires facing against High Marshall Hellbrecht, the Emperor’s Champion and a Terminator.

Having already delivered his payload, the Redeemer turned its attention to the man behind the walls…

… while the advance on the right flank continued.

Shots were excahnged between the tanks…

… their armour proving too sturdy.

The Dreadnought gets shot at, but resists.

The Redeemer opens fir with its Flamestorm Cannons…

… laying waste to the Salamanders atop the bunker.

A new turn of combat begins anew…

… and this time there’s little the remaining Legionnaire could do to withstand his foes’ combined fury.

The left flank of the defenders finally collapsed, while on the right the mighty Dreadnought is blown apart by the combined fire of Predators and the Crusader.

As the Black Templars prepared to surge against the rest of the defenders inside the fortified ruins the Storm Ravens arrived extracting the surviving Salamanders. The Legionnaires dissapeared just as misteriously they had appeared.

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The High Marshall was flanked by the Emperor’s Champion and the sole survivor of the Terminator Squad that had accompanied him into battle on that day. There had been no glory, nor had there been any traitors amongst the Salamanders. Searching what was left of the fortified ruins and the destroyed forward base issued no proof of their treason, nor of the Relic they had lost.

He had been fooled into killing Space Marines he once called friends, soiling the bonds of friendship and trust forged in a millennium of war in the name of the Emperor.

The Thunderhawk’s engines were already powering down after touching down on the landing pad, the piston and hydraulics emitted their customary hissing sound as locks were disengaged and the ship made ready to be boarded. “How was battle Commander?” saluted Marshall Hemelund extending him a hand from the Thunderhawk’s boarding ramp as it was lowered to allow the three men to embark. As he came near his subordinate High Marshall Hellbrecht spun into action holding the Marshall by his armor’s gorget and pulling the other Space Marine closer “Traitor” said Hellbrecht through gritted teeth before knee kicking the Butcher of Thraxx with bone shattering strength in the gut and head butting him in sequence as he bent forward reeling from the kick.

“Seize him” commanded Hellbrecht as the Marshall laid sprawled on the floor “we need to ascertain what’s amiss here” he said disappointment clear on his voice and boarded the Thunderhawk while the Emperor’s Champion and the Terminator dragged the Marshall inside between them.